Alexander

Front cover

Summers tend to leave ample time for mischief.  And every child has been cross, naughty, and given his/her parents an unfavorable day . . . to say the very least.  When that happens, read Alexander (c. 1964) by Harold Littledale and illustrated by Tom Vroman.  Both author and illustrator provide a classic story where a little boy named Chris contritely recounts his day:

First spread

Unfortunately, and disgracefully, Alexander is currently out of print, which is a mystery to me as it remains quite a beloved book by several generations.  If you happen to run across it at a thrift store, consignment shop, garage sale, etc., be sure to snatch it up!  If you already have a copy, it makes a wonderful vintage gift.  Here let me share with you a few more pictures, just so you'll know what to look for:

When we went to the park Alexander wouldn't play with the others.  He got scared and ran and hid behind the slide.  Mommy said she was surprised at a big grown-up horse acting like that . . .

And he jumped and jumped all over the living-room couch even when Mommy asked him not to . . .

As you can see, the illustrations are fabulous!

Back cover

Do you remember Alexander from your youth?